Low-distortion oscillator



Sept. 4, 1951 c w, CLAPP 2,566,981

LOW-DISTORTION vOSCILLATOR Filed July 20, 1949 Inventor": Charles WCIapp,

His Attorney.

Patented Sept. 4, 1951 LOW-DISTORTION OSCILLATOR Charles W. Clapp, Scotia, N. Y., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application July 20, 1949, Serial No. 105,845

Claims.

My invention relates to low-distortion oscillators, and particularly to resistance-capacity electronic oscillators.

An object of my invention is to provide an electronic oscillator of improved operating characteristics.

A further object of, my invention is to provide a simple oscillator comprising a minimum of components operable'to furnish an output signal comprising'aminimum ofdistortion or spurious components.

A specific-object of my invention is substantially to reduce the necessary value of, and the number of, maintuning capacitors in a resistance-capacity oscillator tunable over a predetel-mined range offrequencies.

7 In accord with my invention, the desirable features of'an oscillator in which amplitude is stabilized by a negative feed-back circuit comprising anon-linear impedance element are retained While harmonic distortion components are greatly reduced. My invention also providesincreased stability of oscillations.

Thenovel features which I believe to be characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. My invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying single figure of the drawing, which is a circuit diagram of an oscillator in accord with my invention.

As shown in the drawing,an oscillator ac cording to'my invention comprisesa pair of pushpull connected Wien bridge circuits, associated respectively with the control electrode circuits of discharge devices I, 2. The Wien bridge circuits are arranged to provide positive or regenerative feedback of the anode signal of each of devices I, 2 to the control electrodes. Amplifler devices 3, 4 are arranged to amplify and reverse-the phase of these signals prior to furnishing such signals to the respective feed-back paths. The amplified signals are also furnished to the'primary winding of push-pull to single ended transformer '5, which in turn has a single ended secondary winding connected to a phase splitting and-amplifying circuit comprising dischargedevic'e's 6, 1. The push-pull signal from this circuit isapplied to a pair of push-pull connected amplifier devices 8, 9 from which the output signal is obtained through transformer ES. The frequency of oscillation in the oscillator is primarily determined by the values of the resistors and capacitors of the push-pull connected Wien bridge networks associated with devices I, 2. Each of these networks includes a positive feedback path, and in one network this path, from the anode H of device 3, comprises a resistor 12 and variable capacitor I3. The resistor I2 is coupled to anode ll through a coupling capacitor l4, and the signal appearing on anode II is supplied through resistor l2 and capacitor l3 to the control electrode [5 of device I. Resistor l2 and capacitor l3 are shunted by a fixed capacitor l6. Due to the arrangement of resistors and capacitors the positive feedback signal is subjected to a phase shift. The amount of phase shift is determined by the values of resistor l2, and capacitor l3, and by the value of a resistor I! connected from the control electrode l5 to a point of reference potential, conventionally represented by a ground symbol, and the value of a variable capacitor [8. Capacitor I8 is connected between control electrode lb of device I and control electrode IQ of device 2.

Capacitor It serves as a neutralizing capacitance for the stray capacitance between the connections to control electrode l5 and ground. In the absence of capacitor Hi, this stray capacitance would limit the frequency range available at any one value of resistor l2 and of resistor ll.

As mentioned above, the devices I, 2 are in push-pull arrangement and the signals on control electrodes I5 and iii are, accordingly, of opposite phase. The elTect of capacitor I8 at con trol electrode l5, insofar as the amount of phase shift in the feedback circuit is concerned, is substantially equivalent to that of a capacitor of twice the capacitance value connected from control electrode IE to ground. Capacitor l8, accordingly, takes the placeof two variable capacitors of twice the same maximum capacitance connected individually from control electrodes l5 and E9, to ground. res ectively.

It will be understood that while'resistors l2 and I? are referred to above as though they were single resistance elements, resistor I! may comprise, for example, three separate resistance elements connectable in parallel by a switch 20, and

resistor ll may similarly comprise three separate each resistor I2 and H of two or more resistance elements as indicated in the drawing for resistor I1. It will be necessary that the resistance values in the two channels be very nearly the same to insure balanced push-pull operation, and this requirement, as well as the obtaining of correct ranges for each switch setting, will be facilitated if one of the elements in each branch is of much lower resistance than the other, to permit close adjustment of the desired total resistance of each branch by substituting elements of different values for the lower resistance element of the branch. It may be desired to insert in series or in shunt in one or more of the branches a variable or adiustable resistance element proportioned to provide a very fine adjustment of the value for the branch.

The phase shift of the regenerative feedback path or network described, which comprises two arms of the Wien bridge network, is dependent upon the frequency involved, and oscillation occurs at that freouency at which the net phase shift from control electrode I through devices I and 3 and through the network back to control electrode I 5 is exactly 360 de rees. It will be understood that a positive-going si nal at control electrode I5 of device I will produce a negativegoing signal on anode 22, and that this negativegoin signal is supplied through coupling capacitor 23 to control electrode 24 of device 3 to produce a positive-going si nal on anode II. This signal is then su plied back to the control electrode I5 through capacitor I4 and the bridge arm compri ing resistor I2 and capacitor I3. The amount of phase shift is controlled approximately equally by the values of capacitor I8 and resistor I1, and by the values of capacitor I3 and resistor I2. Other components may slightly affect the phase shift, but this effect is usually negligible because of the large amount of degeneration or A negative feedback present in the circuit shown. 'The freduency of oscillations will be such that the net effect of all of the phase shifts from the control electrode I5 through devices I and 3 and the bridge arm I2, I3 back to the control electrode is exactly 360 degrees. It will be seen that suitable adjustments of the values of capacitors I3 and I8, and resistors I2 and I I, may be accomplished whereby the phase of the signal furnished through capacitor I4 may be shifted more or less as necessary to compensate for any small stray phase shifts which may occur in the resistancecapacitance coupling circuits and the like.

The regenerative feedback frequency-controlling network of the bridge as described above and self-biasing cathode resistor 32 series connected from cathode 30 to ground. Resistor 32 is common to the bridge circuits of the two oscillator channels and tends to balance the currents and voltages appearing in the circuits associated with devices I and 2 respectively. Capacitor 29 is provided in circuit between anode II of device 3 and cathode 30 of device I to neutralize the cathode-to-ground capacitances of device I to prevent spurious phase shifts at this part Of the circuit.

Non-linear impedance element 3I, which comprises in the embodiment herein described a small incandescent lamp of which the filament resistance increases with an increase in current and decreases with a decrease in current, provides automatic regulation of the intensity of oscillations. Thus if the oscillation intensity tends to increase, the current through device I increases, increasing the degenerative self bias provided by non-linear impedance element 3i more than in proportion to the increase in current. Furthermore, when the impedance of element 3| increases, a greater portion of the negative feedback voltage applied to resistor 28 and capacitor 29 appears across impedance element 3|, and the negative feedback from this source is thus also increased.

The bridge circuit comprising discharge devices 2 and 4 is similar to that described for devices I and 3. The regenerative network of the bridge comprises a resistor 33 and variable capacitor 34 connected in series, and a parallel neutralizing capacitor 35, to provide the signal from the anode 36 of device 4, through coupling capacitor 31, to the control electrode I9 of device 2, and a resistor 38 connected from control elec-- trode I9 to ground. Variable capacitor I8 provides to control electrode I9 an effective capacitance to ground in shunt with resistor 38, since the end of capacitor I8 connected to control electrode I5 of device I is maintained atavoltage equal and opposite in phase to the voltage of control electrode I9. The efiective capacitance to ground thus furnished to control electrode I9 is twice the value of the capacitance I8.

Since capacitor I8, with capacitors I3 and 34, comprises a main tuning control, the saving in size and cost through the arrangementdescribed, wherein capacitor I8 is equal in effectiveness to two separate capacitors of twice the maximum value, is substantial. It will be further understood that while capacitor I3 must track accurately with capacitor 34, capacitor I8 which is preferably ganged with capacitors I 3 and 34 need only approximately track therewith, having at all times approximately one half the value of capacitor I3 or 34. The reduction in tracking difficulty is, accordingly, also substantial.

The anode circuit of device 2, which includes a load resistor 39, and a coupling capacitor 43 connected to control electrode M of device 4, is similar to that for device I. The control electrode leak resistor 42 for device 4 is connected, together with leak resistor 26 of device 3, to a tap on a voltage divider network comprising resistors 43 and 44 in series between a source of positive potential and ground. The resulting positive bias on devices 3 and 4 permits the use of a high resistance value for cathode biasing resistor 45, common to devices 3 and 4, whereby a large amount of degeneration is provided to maintain the balanced condition of the signals of the two oscillator channels and to provide minimum distortion in each. Anode load resistor 45 is conveniently made variable tov permit a balancing adjustment further to insure balanced amplification in the devices 3 and 4.

' The negative feedback network of the bridge associated with devices 2 and 4 comprises, as one arm, a resistor 46 and parallel-connected neutralizing capacitor 41, to neutralize the capacitance to ground of cathode 48, connected to provide a portion of the signal from coupling capacitor 3? to the cathode 48 of device 2, and as the other arm, the non-linear impedance element ingresistor, comprisingatleast a variable portion 55 is connected from the juncture of re- 'sistors .5! and .53 to the juncture of resistors 5:2

and '54 to adjust or vary the signal intensity as applied to the transformer winding in. The secondary winding 56 of the transformer is shunted by a potentiometer resistor 5,! having a slider arranged for unicontrol with variable resistor :55 through the medium of an outputlevel control arrangement of any convenient jtype,' desig nated conventionally as device 58 in the drawing.

These controls are ,so arranged asto provide proper impedance matching at any adjustable selected volume level. An additional fixed resister 59 maybe found necessaryconnected in shunt to winding SE-to secure best frequency response characteristic in transformer 59'.

The secondary winding 56 of transformer fi is single-ended, rather thanpush-pull, tosimplify the problem of applying negative feedback from the output-side of transformer Hi to theinp'ut of the amplifier comprising discharge devices 8:, T, 8, 9, this feedback'being important in securing low distortion over this portion of the circuit;

'An adjustable portion of the signal voltage appearing across winding 56 is supplied from 'theslider of potentiometerSTto theQcontro'l electrode B0 of device-5 and appears after amplification' by the device on anode 61 theredflshifted in phase by 180 degrees. A predetermined portion of-this amplified-signal is derived from the'juncture of resistors 52 and '63 and applied to the control electrode 64 of device 1. Resistors 62 and "53 are proportioned to provide a portion jofflthe amplified signal equal to the reciprocal ofthe amplification factor of device 6, whereby the from the oscillator is availableat terminals- 66to which a pair of parallel connected secondary windings of the transformer loamconnected Push-pull output may be obtained if desired'by connections to jacksfi'l and '68, one circuit of each of which is connected to -a;-res-pect-ive'-one of terminals 65, and the other to ground.

Positive operating potentials are provided'fijom a rectifier power supply -69" which comprisestwo separate filtering and-decoupling circuits "1'0 and =7-l-,*-arranged to supply power to respective portions' ot the oscillator without feedback fromniope tothe other such port-ion. :Stability of opera.-

biOIifiiS' improved by theprovision of a voltage dropping resistor 12 and voltage regulator'tube arranged to slupply ;a closely controlledpotentiajl to the screen electrodes 14 and "1,5 of devices I- and 2 respectively. Voltage regulator tube 13 in the' screen electrode supply circuit for devices! and '2 serves to maintain constant average cathand of direct current 'operatingpotentials. h

regulator tube 113', accordingly; maintains ximum effectiveness of the amplitude stabilizing elements 3| and 49.

The oscillator'stability,;and the low distortion characteristics of'the oscillator described, are .due in'largepart tothe coupling provided betweenthe two channels or halves of' the equipment. This coupling is provided through the use of ,the'unbypassed common impedance 32 in the degen- .er'ativefeedbacknetworks of the Wlen bridge circu ts: t rou h th us ,o th ,unbrpas e 09 nimpedance .45 in the cathode circuits ofdevicess and the impedance bein therefore, in the amplifying path ,interpQsedbetweenthe devices i and 2,'respectively, and the respective points in the Wien' Jbridge' circuits from which the positive and negative feedback signals for thesetwo devices are taken, these points being at the .QOHilling capacitors L4 and ,3], respective1y.; and through the use of an unbypassed common impedance 1.6 inthe screen .electrode positive potential supply. connection .fordevices j 3 and 4. It vilVJZlLbe.seenin the, drawingthat devicesL 2, 3i and larceach of the type, commonly known aspentode's, comprising a cathode, control electrode, screen electrode, suppressor grid elect jqde and anode.v Devices .1 and .Land dev c nd 4, should be r spectivel al ke and as c o ely matched in characteristi s as pr cab to maintain as nearly equal. orfbalanced characterisi in the twc' jhannef softh il a o a 190 sible but it .is nojtjessential, though it isdesirable. that theyibe pnentode devices'since triode or other amplifie d i es may be em loy d- Iti's notessentialtothe proper operation of the o c ato h n utralizin capa o I 6 a d 7 in the regenerative feedback networks and capactorslfljelid 41 t m -de en a i e d ack ne or b provid d an t ey may b emit if desired. Alternatively, these capacitors may be de adjustable to provide trimming or .balancingof the oscillator channels and slight'adjustments to provideproper neutralization.

Adjustabletrimmer capacitors are shown in shunt with tuning capacitors l3 and 34 to permit equalization or balancing of the values of these tuning capacitors. -A trimming capacitor is alsoprovided for tuning capacitor l8, and adjustmentsof thistrimming capacitor alone, or togetherwith adjustments of the trimming capacitors for capacitors la-and 34, may be desirable to-adjust thefrequency of oscillations to conform to the dial-markingsef the-maintuning control 1 1 arranged to --vary-gajn ged capacitors i3, i8 and The-action of non-linear impedance-devices *3-I and 49' inherently causes some signal distortion since the response of such-devices to a change in current therethrough suihciently rapid that the impedances thereof change during a single halfcycle of the oscillator voltage. This distortion is primarily second harmonic distortion and is almost completely eliminated by the balancing arrangements of the oscillator as described. The total distortion at the output of an oscillator according to the disclosure has been found to be, for example, less than one-tenth of one percent in a typical physical embodiment and the total output power at transformer [6 about 650 milliwatts.

While I have shown only certain preferred embodiments of my invention by way of illustration, many modifications will occur to those skilled in the art and I therefore wish to have it understood that I intend, in the appended claims, to cover all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. An oscillator comprising two balanced am= plifier channels in push-pull arrangement, each said channel comprising two electron discharge devices connected in cascade, substantially noninductive regenerative feedback means and degenerative feedback means coupling the output circuit of the second of said devices to the input circuit of the first of said devices in each said channel, a portion of said degenerative feedback means being a cathode impedance common to both said channels to minimize amplification in said channels of push-push signal components, and a variable tuning capacitor connected from a point in one of said regenerative feedback means to a corresponding point in said other regenerative feedback means at which the signal voltage is equal in magnitude and opposite in phase to the signal voltage at said first point.

2. In an oscillation generator, two channels connected for push-pull operation, each said channel comprising at least two electron discharge devices connected in cascade amplifying arrangement, a regenerative substantially non-inductive feedback path from the second to the first of said devices to sustain oscillation therein, and a degenerative feedback path from said second to said first device comprising a non-linear impedance variable in response to variations in the amplitude of oscillatory current of said generator tending to maintain constant said amplitude and an impedance element common to said two channels, said impedance element being connected in the cathode circuits of said first devices and arranged to tend to prevent push-push operation of said channels, and a variable capacitor connected between a point in the regenerative feedback path of one said channel at which an oscillatory voltage occurs and a corresponding point in the feedback path of the other channel at which the occurring voltage is substantially equal to and in phase opposition to the voltage at said first point.

3. In an oscillation generator, two channels connected for push-pull operation, each said channel comprising at least two electron dis-' charge devices connected in cascade amplifying arrangement, a regenerative substantially noninductive feedback path from the second to the first of said devices to sustain oscillation thereof, and a degenerative feedback path from said second to said first device comprising a nonlinear impedance variable in response to variations in the amplitude of oscillatory current of said generator tending to maintain constant said amplitude and an impedance element common to said two channels, a second impedance element connected degeneratively in circuit with the oathode of said second device in common in each said channel, said impedance elements being arranged to tend to prevent push-push operation of said channels, anda variable capacitor connected between a" point in the regenerative feedback path of one said channel at which an oscillatory voltage occurs and a corresponding point in the feedback path of the other channel at which the occurring voltage is substantially equal to and in phase opposition to the voltage at said first point.

4. In an oscillation generator, two channels connected for push-pull operation, each said channel comprising at least two electron discharge devices connected in cascade amplifying arrangement, a regenerative substantially noninductive feedback path from the second to the first of said devices to sustain oscillation therein, and a degenerative feedback path from said second to said first device comprising a nonlinear impedance variable in response to variations in the amplitude of oscillatory current of said generator tending to maintain constant said amplitude and an impedance element common to said two channels, said impedance element being connected in the cathode circuits of said first devices and arranged to tend to prevent push-push operation of said channels, a variable capacitor connected between a point in the regenerative feedback path of one said channel at which an oscillatory voltage occurs and a corresponding point in the feedback path of the other channel at which the occurringvoltage is substantially equal to and in phase opposition to the voltage at said first point, said first device in each said channel comprising a screen electrode, and means to maintain a constant potential on said screen electrodes to minimize changes in the average current passing through said variable impedance in each said channel.

5. An oscillator comprising two balanced channels in push-pull arrangement, each of said channels comprising in cascade first and second electron discharge devices each having at least an anode, a cathode and a control electrode, coupling means connecting the anode of said first device to the control electrode of said second device, an electrical network including a substantially non-inductive positive feedback path from the anode of said second device to. the control electrode of said first device and a substantially non-inductive negative feedback path from the anode of said second device to the cathode of said first device, a center-tapped resistance network connected between the respective control electrodes of said first devices in the two channels, a variable capacitor connected in parallel with said resistance network, and cathode circuits respectively connecting the cathodes of said devices to the center tap of said resistance network.

6. An oscillator as in claim 5 in which the cathode circuits of said first devices contain a common impedance.

7. An oscillator as in claim 5 in which the oathode circuits of said second devices contain a common impedance.

8. An oscillator as in claim 5 in which the cathode circuits of said first devices each contain a non-linear impedance having a characteristic such that the impedance value increases with increased current therethrough, the cathode circuits of said first devices include a common impedance, and the cathode circuits of said second devices include a common impedance.

9. An oscillator as in claim 7 having means 10 to apply a substantially constant positive bias voltage to the control electrodes of said second REFERENCES CITED devices- The following references are of record in the 10. An oscillator as in claim 8 in which each file of this t of said devices has a screen electrode, having means to apply a regulated constant voltage to 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS the screen electrodes of said first devices, and Number Name Date means to apply a substantially constant bias volt- 2,253,372 Hewlett Jan. 6' 1942 age to the control electrodes of said second (16- 2,462,903 Romander Mar. 1, 1949 CHARLES W. CLAPP. 

